The school parking lot was full. Roger bit back a curse and reluctantly found a spot a block away. Apparently every parent had decided to show up for Parent Teacher Night tonight. That in itself was strange but there something seemed strange about the cars too. They looked old.

Roger shook his head. Nothing was wrong with the cars, he’d just been having a weird week. That was all.

Hiking up the gentle slope to the school, Roger was astonished to find the halls empty. Normally parents mill outside, or can’t find the rooms that they are supposed to be in- like it’s their first day of school all over again. A hideous reminder of how things used to be.

Most of the classrooms had lights on even if their doors were closed. Maybe he was just late. Roger checked his phone. It was dead. Groaning, he tried to remember the last time he’d plugged it in. Not yesterday, maybe the day before that? It didn’t matter now, dead was dead.

A hesitant voice spoke up from behind him.

“Pardon me, have you seen my daughter?”